


When You Need It The Most

by amessoffand0ms



Series: Post-Darillium Family [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angsty ish?, Cuddles, F/M, Friendship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 07:39:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13003005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amessoffand0ms/pseuds/amessoffand0ms
Summary: A newly regenerated 12 is confused, sad, and a little lonely. But, his wife and best friend help him to adjust. Set after "Deep Breath."





	When You Need It The Most

**Author's Note:**

> I hope that everyone is enjoying this series so far? Comments would be most welcome <3

They go out to get coffee, and afterwards, return to the Tardis.

"I'm going to the Library." The Doctor announces. "I want to look something up."

"Okay, I'll stay in here." Clara says, sitting on the jumpseat.

The Doctor exits the room and Clara listens to the humming of the ship.

She sounds slightly distressed, humming longer than usual and there's a sad note to it.

"What's wrong?" Clara asks, standing up.

Then, she realises-there's something missing. The Doctor is missing someone.

"Amy?"

The ship hums sharply. Obviously not.

"Um... Handles?"

Again, a sharp him.

Clara gasps as she realises. "River Song!"

The ship makes a noise as if to say "took you long enough!"

"All right, grumpy. Where is she, then? I thought that she was dead?"

In answer, the Tardis takes off, and lands again a few minutes later.

The Doctor's companion makes her way out of the ship, and finds herself in a garden.

A few feet away from her is the Doctor's wife, nestled under an oak tree, sitting on a picnic blanket and marking some papers.

Clara smiles, watching her. There's a pleased smile of River's lips-clearly, the student whose paper she's marking has excelled themselves.

She makes her way over to River. "Hello, Professor Song."

River looks up. "Clara, hello!"

"Wait." Clara frowns. "How do you know who I am?"

"Where are you?" River answers her with a question.

"He's just regenerated, and we just did Victorian London with Jenny and Vastra." Clara replies, sitting next to the curly haired woman.

"Ah." River replied. "You've done Trenzalore, then?"

"Yes. Wait, how do you know about that?"

She tapped the side of her nose. "Spoilers!"

Clara was just about to ask the other woman something else, when the Doctor stormed out of the Tardis.

"Clara, I've told you not to pilot the Tardis!" He scowled at his companion, and gaped when he saw his wife. "River?"

"Hello, my love." River stood up and made her way over to him.

"Why did the Tardis bring me here?"

"She sensed that something was missing-or rather, someone." Clara chipped in with a smile.

"She missed you... Like I did." The Doctor smiled, taking River's hands in his.

"I missed you, love. It's been a while." His wife replied, and they kissed. Clara made her way back into the Tardis, leaving the couple to it.

"So, you're teaching. You're out of Stormcage, then?" He says when they pull apart.

"Yes, Sweetie." She smiles-in reality, she's a lot more far along than that. She's been to Darillium, and to the Library. An older him has saved her, and she's pregnant with their second child.

"How are you?" He asks, and she knows that he's genuinely concerned and hopes that she won't lie.

River beams at him. "I'm wonderful, my love. You have an amazing future ahead of you, and I know that you're scared, and you're getting used to being different, but I promise that everything will get better." She says, cupping his face and kissing him.

The Doctor smiles. "I love you."

"I love you too." He replies, and takes her hand. "Tardis?"

"I'd like that, my love."

Hand in hand, the couple make their way inside.

The Tardis hums in welcome, and River places her hands on the console. "Hello, old friend."

The Doctor smiles at the interaction. “She's missed you just as much as I have.”

River nods. “She has. Where's Clara, dear?” She asks the Tardis.

The ship shows that the younger woman is in the kitchen.

“Isn't my company enough?” The Doctor asks, slightly put out.

“Of course it is, I'd like to speak to Clara too though.”

He wraps his arms around her from behind. "River..." He whinges.

"Doctor, we can't."

"Why not?" He scowls.

"Because, in this body, you've already had your first time with me." She replies. She turns in his arms and presses a kiss to his cheek. "I didn't say we couldn't cuddle."

He smiles at her-it's been so very long since he's seen her like this-alive, not carrying the grief of losing her parents. She looks happy, content.

River steps out of his embrace. "Sweetie, can you stay here a few minutes please? I'd like to spend a few minutes."

"Okay." Her husband replies, and pecks her on the lips again.

She makes her way into the kitchen. Clara is there, nursing a cup of hot chocolate, looking quite glum.

"Clara?" River hovers at the door, not sure if she should come in or not. She's great friends with the Northerner in the future, but she's not sure exactly when they begin to grow closer.

Clara doesn't answer her, so she makes her way to the younger woman and puts a hand on her back. "What's wrong?"

"He's not him anymore." Clara replies with a sigh. "He is, but he's not..."

"Bowtie?"

The brunette chuckles at this. "Yeah... He's all Scottish."

"I know what you mean-I missed Babyface too when I met this face for the first time." River responds, sitting down next to her. "He's as scared of you as you are of him."

"The craziness, amnesia scared me the most." Clara admits. "He's alright now of course, but he's so different to Bowtie... He looks like my Grandpa."

It's River's turn to giggle. "That's true. Everything's going to be alright, I promise."

"Spoilers, right?"

"Just a tiny one. You need some reassurance right now, and I can tell you that your friendship will grow stronger than ever before and crash lower than it's ever gone. You'll stick together though, you always will. I'll pop in every now and then, it's a while until he sees me again, according to him anyway." River says. "Don't tell him the last bit. Could be spoilers."

She frowns. "Pardon?"

"Doesn't matter-our relationship confuses even me sometimes. I'd better go and find him, he wants cuddles, the sap."

"He hates hugging!" Clara protested.

"Hmm, I am his wife." River shrugged. "I think it's because he was a bit flirty with you when he was Bowtie."

"Um, I'm sorry about that."

"Oh, that's alright. Our marriage has always been open, sort of. I usually marry people when they're under the influence of something or other. He's the only spouse who means something to me."

"Is that your way of politely saying "hands off my husband?" Clara asks in amusement.

"I suppose." River chuckles. "I trust you, though."

"Thank you, that means a lot." Clara beams.

"Right, I'd better go and find my sap of a husband." The other woman says, and stands up. "Um, would you like a hug?"

The other woman nods, and River holds her close. "If you ever want a chat, get the Tardis to call me, yeah?"

"I will." Clara smiles.

Unbeknownst to her, she will face a terrible tragedy. She will lose the one she falls in love with, and River knows all too well what that’s like.

She hugs the younger woman a little tighter, tears threatening to spill.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Clara asks, sensing her distress.

“Um, I’m hormonal.” River says. “Anyway, I’d better go. Good luck, Clara. You’ll need it-he is in there, you know.”

The brunette nods. “I hope so.”

River makes her way into the Doctor’s room-specifically his living room.

He’s sat on an armchair, a glass of whisky in his right hand.

On his left, she notices a ring, and is curious. “Sweetie?” She says softly.

The Doctor smiles at her. “Yes?”

She makes her way over to him, making herself comfortable on the arm of the chair. “What’s the ring for?”

“For you. A wedding ring, if you will.” He admits. “During the amnesia, you were all I could cling onto, all I could rely on. The constant presence.”

She kisses him then, holding his free hand in both of her own. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Regretfully, she pulls away, and looks at the device on her wrist-an upgraded vortex manipulator. “I have to go-a future you needs my help with something.”

“What is it?”

“You know better than to ask, my love.” She responds. “Goodbye for now.”

And, with a fizz, crackle, and pop, she’s gone.

He sighs, and gets up. “I need to change clothes. Can’t seduce my wife looking like this.” He scowls at his black suit. “Perhaps she’ll go for the rock star look.”

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
